40 years ago today, Vancouver welcomed the world to Expo 86

On May 2, 1986, Vancouver changed forever.

The opening of Expo 86 by then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana exposed millions of people to the city and what it had to offer.

The legacy of the event—officially the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication—continues to be visible across Metro Vancouver today.

Beginnings of a regional transit system

The 70-hectare expo site stretched along 4.5 kilometres of shoreline on the north and east edges of False Creek.

More than 22 million visitors attended the expo during its five-month run, and many of them arrived by SkyTrain.

The driverless rapid transit system opened Dec. 11, 1985, less than six months before Expo 86 began.

Initially, the 21-kilometre route ran between downtown Vancouver and downtown New Westminster, but expansion began almost immediately.

Construction on the SkyBridge and the extension to Surrey was underway by 1987, and today the rapid transit network has grown to more than four times its original size.

While the SkyTrain was constructed to outlast the expo, other transportation modes on display at the grounds—including a monorail and two gondolas—were temporary.

Icons of the skyline

There were a total of 65 pavilions at Expo 86, 41 of them international.

While most of them have long since been dismantled, the clusters of condo and apartment towers that rose in their place have given Vancouver’s skyline its current shape.

Likewise, two of the pavilions that still stand—Canada Place and the Expo Centre, now known as Science World—have become symbols of the city and iconic parts of the skyline.

Both buildings opened to the public for the first time on May 2, 1986, and both are marking their 40th anniversaries on Saturday.

Science World has a special display of Expo 86 memorabilia in its atrium and a line nostalgic merchandise on sale, while Canada Place has been holding a social media contest encouraging people to share photos and memories of the beloved venue.

Constructed as the Canada Pavilion for the expo, the facility occupies Pier BC, which was constructed in 1927 to serve the Canadian Pacific Railway and global shipping lines.

Construction began in 1983 with a concrete pour led by Queen Elizabeth II and then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

“For four decades, Canada Place has been part of everyday life on the Vancouver waterfront—welcoming visitors from around the world and serving as a gathering space to create lasting memories,” said Cliff Stewart, Canada Place Corporation president and vice-president of operations and supply chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, in a news release marking the anniversary.

“From Expo 86 to today, Canada Place has grown alongside the city and remains a lasting symbol of Canada on the waterfront.”

Unlike Canada Place, the Expo Centre was intended to be temporary. It took a fundraising campaign and approvals from all three levels of government to transform it into Science World.

After a $19-million expansion and renovation—again kicked off with a dedication from the queen—the science museum reopened its doors on May 6, 1989.

“Expo 86 was a world-class event, and the Expo Centre was at the heart of it all,” said Tracy Redies, president and CEO of Science World, in a news release.

“Exactly 40 years since the building’s opening, it remains one of the city’s iconic landmarks and favourite destinations for British Columbians and visitors alike. Through some incredible feats of ingenuity, our team has transformed the building into a long-lasting cultural institution. It continues to be a space where the wonder seekers and tomorrow’s thinkers can explore science firsthand. We’re proud to honour the legacy of Expo 86 and to carry its spirit of wonder for generations to come.”

Scroll through the gallery below for more historic photos of the fair that made Vancouver what it is today.

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